Punjab polls: Sunil Jakhar welcomes Congress decision of choosing Channi as CM face, announces retirement from electoral politics

After the announcement of Charanjit Singh Channi as the Chief Ministerial face of Congress for Punjab Assembly polls, senior Congress leader Sunil Jakhar announced that he will not contest elections anymore, adding that, he will continue to be in association with Congress and will keep working for the party.

"I will not contest election...I am out of electoral politics...I have had a good inning, God has been grateful to me. I will work with Congress, will do whatever duty party assigns to me but I am out of electoral politics," he said.

Welcoming Rahul Gandhi's announcement to nominate Channi as the party's face for the assembly polls, Jakhar said, 'Giving chance to someone coming from a poor family is I believe one of the best decisions of Rahul Gandhi's political career."

"It's a good decision... Congress party is united together. There may be some differences in ideologies with regards to something that is natural," he added.

Former Punjab Congress chief Jakhar, who made way for PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu last year when the Amarinder-Sidhu clash was at its peak, had recently claimed that that 42 of 79 party MLAs wanted him to take over as the Punjab Chief Minister after Captain Amarinder Singh stepped down from the post while only two legislators favored Channi.

However, later clarifying his remarks, he backed Channi for CM stating that he should be given time so that he continues working.

Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced in Ludhiana that incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will be Congress chief ministerial face in the upcoming Punjab assembly elections.

Punjab will go to the polls on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

( With inputs from ANI )

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